Tag Archives: friends

Had my 3rd session of Muay Thai training at the Elorde Gym in Mandaluyong last Tuesday and I would say I am already getting the hang of it somehow. Well, I’m getting used to the pain, I’ll say! Or so I thought!

As usual, I went there right after my shift – I arrived around 7AM. For the last 2 sessions, my trainer Loy was already awake and having his cup of coffee by the stairs. But that time, Kuya Bong said he was still asleep! So I told him to just let Loy sleep a little bit more since it was still early and I’d just run a few laps and do some jump ropes.

After a few moments, I saw him coming out from his dungeon (Hehehe.. As if he’s a dragon?), looking tired and too sleepy and as if he was just dragging himself to wake up. I pretended not to see him since I don’t like messing up with people who just woke up. Yah know, here in the Philippines, we have a saying – “Magbiro ka na sa lasing, wag lang sa bagong gising!” (Throw a joke to a drunk person but never to a person who just woke up!).

Well, he acknowledged my presence and told me he’ll just have a cup of coffee and some crackers for breakfast. I thought he was just lacking sleep looking at his grumpy face but he mentioned he had a few bottles of beer the night before. Talking about being health conscious and all! (Hahaha!)

Anyway, I thought he’ll be a little bit lenient with me that day since he wasn’t feeling okay but it seemed I was too wrong! He knew what he was doing and intensified my routines which made me really exhausted and really want to take a rest and sleep. But me – being a fighter and all – doesn’t want to show defeat, and tried my best not to faint. Bwahahaha! (I don’t like others see me weak!). I felt okay all throughout the session though I drank 3 ½ litres of water for a two-hour workout. Hehehe. And never had a bathroom break! I guess, all of my excess fluid came out as sweat!

Anyway, still enjoyed the session and the people there at Elorde Gym are easy to get along with. I had conversations with the other trainers after my session and had a few laughs here and there while my trainer Loy was having his catnap somewhere (I didn’t bother to chat with him after since he looks so tired. Poor boy! Bwahaha!).

Before I left, I had a short chat with him when I saw him already up and torturing another poor guy. He even had the guts to tease me that I’ll experience the same thing the guy was doing then! Hahaha. I just laughed it off though I was looking intently at the poor guy’s condition as he was sweating profusely – obvious small lakes of sweat on the floor. Aaaaahhh! Panic mode!

Anyway, if you see him, he may look like an innocent young guy who just decided to have a tattoo out of peer pressure, but beware – he can definitely break your bones! Hahaha! Unless you’re a homosexual and will try to harass him, he’ll definitely run away immediately!

They say that in this life, you should learn to let go in order to move forward. Let go but never forget. There are even people who were assisted by professionals to stop them from hoarding and let go of those things they keep that have sentimental values. They were told that they should just keep the memories in their hearts and let go of those material things.

I definitely agree.

But I can also say that there are things I can never let go.

In this age of technology — text messages, emails and video calls, are ways for us to communicate to our friends and loved ones. It makes our lives easier but it also prevents us from creating wonderful and tangible memories to keep. We no longer send snail mails full of warmth but instead, we send emails. E-Cards, in place of cards with handwritten dedication. I am happy that today’s generation is living in a fast-paced society but also sad that they would no longer be able to experience how it feels to have cramps while writing a very long letter for your friend or run to the nearest post office as soon as it opens for you to send your letter.

As I was rummaging my stuff, I found my old box of letters I keep when I was in high school (ok, that’s more or less 15 years ago). It still has the letters my friends gave me during my birthdays or just whenever they wanted to. The cards my eldest sister sent me when she had to stay with our grandparents in CDO to study. I even kept in there a small piece of card where my first love wrote his old address and a poem I took from his notes. Hehehe. It brought back all the memories. I didn’t even know that one of my suitors (yeah, you heard it, I had a few back then) in College wrote a letter for me telling me he was letting me go when I turned him down. Nyahaha!!

It was so nostalgic when I started reading them again. Some of them are funny since they were written during high school, grammar errors were abundant — subject-verb agreement, singular vs. plural and tenses. But they still bring the same emotions, like excitement and anticipation as you open the envelope.

I am thankful I decided to keep them because if I didn’t, I won’t have this opportunity to reminisce about the old days and on how they feel about me then. Well, almost all of them I still have communication with while others, I don’t have any more news about.

It’s not bad to keep souvenirs or like me, old letters, and treasure them. Though as they say, you can keep the memories inside, it also adds up having to see physical proof of their care and love for you. How they have spent even just 5 minutes of their time to write that letter for me. Letters show the feelings and emotions a person doesn’t wanna show on his/her face.

“You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Please remember: things are not what they seem.” ― Haruki Murakami, 1Q84And he is 100% correct. ;-PI love the novels of Haruki Murakami as he tackles the side of life most people won’t want to touch – depression, loneliness and alienation. He has this courage to speak his mind though he knew that the country where he is born is somehow traditional and conservative in their views. And because of that, he was able to go out of his own box and comfort zone. He became known not only in Japan but all over the whole world because of his works and his quotes are widely used as inspiration.

She is always there to give us an advice.. She is the youngest among our group but she scolds us as if she is the oldest.. Well, based on experiences in life, we really think, she may have gone farther than what we have.. She has been through life’s difficult trials and successfully conquered them..

She is HAZEL CASTILLO BLOCK..

At 26, I can say that her maturity is incomparable to us, like, she’s already in her mid-30s.. Well, we knew that having Draye really pushed her maturity in full blast as well as being the elder daughter of a single mom..

Being her friend for two years, she proved to be a true and trusted friend.. She never hesitates in telling what’s right and what’s wrong and her opinions.. She has her own understanding of things and she’ll take a stand..

Recently, she made a very big change on her life — going to Canada for the first time and will be living there from now on.. Leaving her mom, sister, nephew, son Draye and hubby Rye.. Spending her first birthday last February 3 away from them.. But definitely, she faced it with much courage and said that she is doing it for their own sake and her future..

We miss her so much but because of the help of technology, we are now able to get in touch with her through emails, calls, video calls in Skype and Viber.. Though they are not enough but still, it makes us be closer to her..

I, we, love Hazie so much and though we hope that we’ll see her again, we of course hope for the best for her to fulfill her dreams in Canada..

There are days that you just wanted to go out and eat somewhere.. For some, drinking and singing make it more unforgettable.. Definitely, for Deejei, yes, he loves to sing karaoke while drinking beer..

Last Friday, Deej just suddenly asked if anyone would like to join him to kill time at RJ’s.. He had to wait until around 9AM to pass his son Aedn’s baby pics to be included at the hospital’s 2014 calendar.. I, at the same time, was going to a government agency to process something so I decided to come.. Red also said he would be coming after finishing some work.. And Dino, for some unknown reasons (he usually runs immediately towards the door once the clock hits 6AM), also joined us..

We immediately left the office and rode our way to RJ’s Bulalohan near Mandaluyong City Hall.. First thing Deej did was to look for the song book and ordered beer — Colt45 for him and Dino had Red Horse.. They didn’t want to order a bucket since they said they didn’t want to feel the pressure of finishing the bottles lined up before them.. Hahaha!! What the!!??

Anyway, I just ordered Tapsilog because I was too hungry and I don’t really drink.. Seldom that I would drink, I don’t know but only if I feel like drinking then, I’d empty a bottle.. That time wasn’t..

First song entered was from Dino — Cupid by 112.. Not so familiar with the RnB song but heard it somewhere before.. And since Deej wasn’t familiar of it too, Dino had no choice but to sing it himself.. It was followed by I’ll be of Edwin McCain and some more.. I also entered some of my fave songs and sang a few as well.. Even had a duet singing A Whole New World!! Aarrrgghhh..

Well, a few more songs and some more bottles for them and we really did enjoy it.. Red texted me he could no longer join us but even just the three of us, it was fun.. I already knew Deej when he gets tipsy but I saw a little of Dino’s other side as well.. Guys really look funny and cute when they get tipsy (and I mean tipsy, not drunk!).. They started talking, laughing or just say anything or do some funny antics.. Haha! I stopped them when I thought they had enough already — three bottles for Deej and four for Dino.. I didn’t want to drag them and bring them home because they couldn’t manage to do it on their own.. Hehehe..

But hey, I did enjoy it seeing the two of them bond for the first time.. Hope I could see it again in the future.. Oh, by the way, here are some of their pictures:

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Turkey is a very beautiful country that tourists should include on their bucket list. It is very safe amidst some negative news about it. You will definitely enjoy your stay there and experience the warmth and friendliness of its people.

If there is one thing I won’t forget in our Morocco trip, it will be our journey to Ait Ben Haddou. I can’t forget the long travel we had going there, the steep walk towards the summit and the unforgettable jolly old man (86-year old!) Mr Abdou as our tour guide.